57 Things You Need to Know before Scandal's Return

By Jim Donnelly | Jan 26th, 2015

With life in Washington still as scandalous as ever, we thought it was fitting to take a look at the sexiest, most shocking, most scandalous Season 4 moments so far. The hits will keep coming all season long, so look for weekly updates in the Gladiator Report. Now, get ready for Thursday with 57 Things You Need to Know Before Scandal's Return!

#1 Island Girl: Where on Earth was Olivia Pope? On an island off the coast of Zanzibar, that’s where. It’s always the last place you look, right? Liv was living the good life, catching some rays until someone blocked her sun.

We Found Olivia!|Olivia and Jake kiss in the sun 100 miles off the coast of Zanzibar.|Olivia and Jake kiss in the sun 100 miles off the coast of Zanzibar... until Olivia receives a mysterious letter than changes everything. See what Olivia discovers at the end of this steamy scene in paradise from Scandal Season 4 Episode 1: Randy, Red, Superfreak, and Julia.

#2 Father-Daughter Reunion: Olivia meets up with her father upon her return to DC. Rowan has a glass of wine waiting for her when she arrives at his favorite restaurant. They engage in some typical father-daughter small talk. For example, Liv wants to know if her dad killed her friend.

#3 Old Friends, New Gigs: Quinn has been looking for Liv in the old OPA offices. Huck works as a computer store tech expert who clues in customers on any seedy info he uncovers. Abby is the White House press secretary. She meets with Olivia about planning Harrison’s funeral. No arrangements are made. There’s just a lot of yelling.

#4 Gettysburger Addressed: Gettysburger now has a rib sandwich. It has pickles and secret sauce. It’s called the Underground Railroad and is ideal for those with a taste for history.

#5 A Fallen Gladiator: After reluctantly taking on what was supposed to be a one-time case, Olivia is now officially ready to get out of town again, but not before attending Harrison’s funeral. Jake watches in the background as Abby, Quinn and Huck join Liv to say goodbye to their fellow gladiator.

OPA Reunites for Harrison's Funeral|They share an emotional goodbye to their fellow Gladiator.|Olivia, Huck, Abby, and Quinn share an emotional goodbye to their fellow Gladiator. By the end, Jake is comforting Olivia when he notices Rowan watching from afar. What is he doing there? Watch this emotional scene from Scandal Season 4 Episode 1: Randy, Red, Superfreak, and Julia.

#6 This Town Isn’t Big Enough: Cyrus get ticked when he learns that Abby met with Olivia. He considers her a political problem. Cyrus lets his boss know that Olivia is back in town. RING! Could that be the Fitz Phone! Jake doesn’t want Olivia to answer it. Whether it's Fitz on the other end of the line or not, he knows that Washington is the president's town.

#7 Fitz 2.0: That’s what the press is dubbing the president these days. As for the First Lady, she rarely feels the need to even get dressed anymore. Mellie fills in Fitz on a few other changes after learning that Olivia is back.

#8 A.G. Rosen and Lizzie Bear: David is asked by Cyrus if he’d like to be the next Attorney General. Even though his obsession with getting justice killed their relationship, Abby encourages him to accept the job offer. News of David becoming Attorney General angers the RNC Chairperson, who Cyrus calls Lizzy Bear, who has a secret weapon to bring him down. See #16 below.

#9 Island Girl and Boy: After a press conference that pretty much lets the world know that Olivia is back, she walks through the Capitol Building. Many others are there as well. But when Liv walks past the President of the United States, it’s as if they were the only two people in the room. It’s as if they were alone on an island.

Liv and Fitz's Paths Cross|It's like they're the only two in the room.|Fitz and Liv try to act like they aren't looking, but they're nearly reaching for one another, glowing inside for one another. They each walk away with a smile and we're left wondering what's next. Watch this powerful scene from Scandal Season 4 Episode 1: Randy, Red, Superfreak, and Julia.

#10 When the Chips are Down: Mellie is caught on camera munching on potato chips in her bathrobe while seated on the ground at her son’s gravesite. This has the press questioning her state of mind. Fitz’s request for her to get it together for the State of the Union doesn’t go over well. So Cyrus joins Mellie for some fried chicken.

#11 Advice from Dear Abby: The new White House press secretary preps David for his confirmation hearing to become Attorney General. Her advice is aces. Later, Abby tries her hand at helping the First Lady.

#12 Advice From Dear Livvy: Fitz asks for a moment alone with Olivia before his State of the Union speech. He needs to know what she thinks. Olivia advises him to talk about the grieving that his family is still going through. Fitz goes off-prompter to pay tribute to his incredibly strong wife, who is seated in the gallery in a stunning dress.

#13 Floored: The president’s State of the Union speech is emotional, impassioned and stirring. It demands that they put a stop to gun violence. A rousing ovation follows. After the speech, Mellie crumbles to the floor in tears. She held it together in public. Now Fitz needs to keep her going in private.

Mellie Crumbles to the Floor in Tears|She showed up for Fitz, she held it together.|Mellie showed up for Fitz at the State of the Union address, she held it together in public. But only now do we see the toll that took on her. She's still mourning. Fitz is so sorry. Watch this heartbreaking scene from Scandal Season 4 Episode 2: The State of the Union.

#15 Actually, Jake IS a Kept Man: It’s not a booty call, yet it is in the literal sense.

Hottest Booty Call Ever|Olivia is ONLY wearing boots...|Olivia insists she does not do booty calls and that if she wants to summon Jake, she will. He starts to protest, but when she drops her coat... well, she's only wearing boots. Jake comes to her immediately. Watch this HOT Olake scene from Scandal Season 4 Episode 2: The State of the Union.

#16 The Lonely Guy: Cyrus initially declines the flirtations of a good-looking man. Then he doesn’t. But Cyrus can’t go through with the liaison at the end of the day. We later see that the man, Michael, is in cahoots with Lizzy Bear. He confirms her suspicions that Cyrus is very lonely.

#17 Swing and a Hit: Fitz is counting on his new Attorney General to get a swing vote. Cyrus can see by the smile on David’s face that he’s happy to be inside the bubble. Unfortunately, the judge who is the deciding vote doesn’t decide in favor of the president. David digs into those big, bad B613 files to swing the vote with blackmail.

#18 Re-Entry Can Get Tricky: Olivia stops by to see her father, who explains to her that everything is different now that she’s back. Everything is colder. Olivia admits that she’s adjusting. Rowan invites his daughter over for dinner. Jake can come, too.

#19 Behind Closed Doors: Jake pressed David for info on the murders of Harrison and Adnan Salif. Olivia visits him while he’s digging for answers. Jake won’t let her in. After all, it’s not a booty call. Olivia reacts accordingly.

#20 B613-Man and Robin: Jake craves a deeper look into what went down after having caught sight of Rowan at the funeral. Surveillance footage indicates that Charlie may have been involved. There’s only one way he’ll talk. Charlie wants some alone time with Quinn.

Charlie Gets a Night with Quinn|Do you ever get lonely, Robin?|Charlie's price to give Jake all the details on Harrison's death is to get a night with Quinn. He gets his wish and reveals to his captive how lonely he's found himself lately. Quinn is adamant she's nothing like him, but gives in to his kiss. Watch this scene from Episode 3: Inside the Bubble.

#21 The Middle Woman: Fitz thanks Abby for all she’s done with his wife and he finally learns her first name. Abby then gives the president what he really wants out of their meeting. She lets him know how Olivia is.

#22 Command Cuisine: Jake lets Olivia know that he will join her for some Command cuisine at Rowan’s place. His change of heart comes after he finds video footage of Secret Service man/covert B613 operative Tom putting his hands on the president’s son just before he died. Dinner conversation is awkward until Olivia exits.

Liv Brings Jake to Dinner with Rowan|And ish gets real when Liv leaves the room.|Rowan hosts Olivia and Jake at his home for dinner. It's awkward. When Olivia leaves the room for a phone call, the men reveal their real intentions toward one another. A knife is involved and a serious murder threat. Watch this tense scene from Season 4 Episode 3: Inside the Bubble.

#23 Losin’ It: Someone captured the First Daughter, Karen, on video earlier that night in what Olivia calls the dirtiest sex tape she has ever seen. Fitz pleads with Olivia to help him. He needs her to fix this. Mellie loses it when she sees Olivia in the halls. Fitz has no choice but to let her know what’s going on with Karen in the bluntest of ways.

#24 Miss You Much: Fitz lets Olivia know that he almost died when she left him. She missed him as well even though, much to the president’s surprise, she didn’t go away alone.

Fitz Gives In to His Feelings|Don't ever leave me like that again. I almost died without you.|Alone in the Oval Office, Fitz can't help but finally give in to his feelings for Olivia. She falls into his kiss, too, but has to pull back. Olivia must reveal that she didn't go away alone. Watch this devastating confession in this scene from Season 4 Episode 4: Like Father, Like Daughter.

#26 Olivia, The Destroyer: Olivia hands over a check for $2.5 million to the blackmailing Morgans. They decide they want more. Olivia loses it. See how she plans to completely annihilate these two despicable individuals.

#27 Mother-Daughter Moment: Mellie confronts her daughter as to why she did what she did. She thinks it’s because she was feeling sad and numb. After all, she watched her brother die. Mellie says a tragedy like that entitles her to one free pass. She won’t get another.

#28 Don’t Talk the Talk: In his holding area deep in the bowels of the Pentagon, Jake asks the interrogator to stop talking. He’s patiently waiting to see the president. When the interrogator continues to talk, Jake gets impatient by demonstrating just how lethal he can be.

#29 I’ll Be Sitting When the President Comes: Jake gets his wish. Fitz finally comes to see him. Some small talk leads to the two of them briefly singing a little Otis Redding. Strange, but true. This unusual moment ends when it becomes clear that Fitz thinks he killed his son.

#30 More Daddy Issues: Olivia believes her father is behind all of this. Rowan assures her that he didn’t kill Harrison or the president’s son. He assures her it was Jake. He’s quite convincing. He claims all he ever wanted was for his daughter to be happy.

#31 The Meaning of Death: Mellie freaks out when Fitz isn’t around to visit the cemetery. She drinks heavily. She thinks her hubby was off with Olivia. Fitz angrily lets her know that he was trying to get a confession out of their son’s killer. Mellie finds some solace in the fact that the death of her son wasn’t random.

Fitz Blows Up at Mellie|All day, every day YOU are sitting around in booties getting drunk at 11AM!|Mellie comes running to the Oval after she's discovered Olivia Pope is back in the White House. But the "righteous, history-rewriting" Mellie that walks through that door is too much for Fitz to put up with anymore. Watch him explode in this scene from Season 4 Episode 4: Like Father, Like Daughter.

#32 Liv and Let Liv: A tipsy David tells Abby that he killed someone with the B613 files. They gave him power. They helped him set forth a chain of events that led to another man’s suicide. David admits that he was trying to be Olivia Pope. Later, a furious Abby tells Olivia that she’s poison. A teary Olivia then tells Abby that Jake killed Harrison and Jerry Grant.

#33 This Is Just Torture: Fitz visits Jake again. He rolls up his sleeves and begins beating his old pal. He repeatedly asks if he killed his son. Jake taunts Fitz by bringing up Olivia. He knows how much his being with her must have tortured him. Fitz gets even angrier. He inflicts some torture of his own.

#34 A Nightmare on Liv’s Street: Olivia dreams of swimming and making love. The latter fantasy switches back and forth between images of Fitz and Jake. Her father also shows up at the pool where she dream-swims which, of course, turns things into a nightmare.

Liv's in Bed with Both Fitz and Jake|It's all passionate lovemaking until Rowan shows up.|One minute Liv is swimming and the next she's in bed making love with Jake. He's down on her and then returns back up as Fitz. At each turn it changes from one lover to the other. Then Rowan appears and she wakes up screaming. Watch this dream scene from Season 4 Episode 6: An Innocent Man.

#35 Presidential Pop-In: Abby pleads with Fitz to contact Olivia before hurrying out of the Oval Office. Later, she calls Olivia in a panic over how Cyrus may fire her. The discussion has to be put on hold. Someone is at Liv’s front door. It’s just the President of the United States pulling a pop-in.

#36 The Choice is Clear: Olivia is shown proof that Jake was behind the death of Fitz’s son. This does little to dissuade her desire to see him. Jake wants Olivia to make sure his mother is taken care of. He believes he is going to die. He also knows that Olivia will not choose him, and that’s okay.

#37 The Manipulating Game: Fitz meets with Rowan. The president declares that Jake will be tried in a court of law. That’s not something Rowan wants, so he manipulates Fitz into letting Olivia see Jake.

#38 The Devil is in the Details: Rowan finally gets his hands on Jake. He details how he played the president perfectly. He also gives Jake an update on what’s in store for him.

#39 Hope to See You Soon: Olivia assures him that if she hands Jake over to Rowan there will never be any chance that the two of them will ever be together. This has Fitz asking if there’s actually hope for them.

Liv Will NOT Let Fitz Hand Jake Over|There's hope.|Olivia is enraged about Fitz planning to hand Jake over to Rowan. She tells him not to do it and that if he does she and he will have NO hope of ever being together again. Fitz needs to hear there's still hope for them now. Watch this Olitz scene from Season 4 Episode 6: An Innocent Man.

#40 Dreams Do Come True: As for Olivia, she’s out for a swim. Her earlier dream partially comes true when Rowan shows up at the pool. He’s ticked that his daughter crossed him. Olivia intervened to save both Jake and Fitz. She says, “You may be Command, Dad, but I have weapons at my disposal. Weapons you can’t possibly possess.”

#41 Olivia of Troy: Olivia gets into the Super Max prison where Jake is being held, but that’s not who she visits. She wants to know who ordered former Secret Service/B613 man Tom him to kill the president’s son. He wants to know how she has so much power over his former boss.

#42 Olitz Phone Sex: RING! It’s the Fitz Phone! Olivia brings up the suicide attempt. The president doesn’t want to talk about that. He wants to talk about what he’ll methodically do to her if she comes over to the White House. This has a hot-and-bothered Olivia asking what will happen next.

#43 Could Be an Easy Chip Shot: Abby is blindsided by a reporter’s query about Charles Putney replacing Senator McDonnell. Call him Chip. Leo Bergen is running his campaign. Abby knows Chip well. He’s the guy who used to beat her on a regular basis. That’s not going to happen ever again.

#44 Politics and Strange Bedfellows: Abby tells Leo just what kind of man his client really is. This has Leo taking action to make sure Chip loses. He and Abby share a drink in the White House press room. They also share a kiss.

#45 Shanks A Lot: Olivia is one who had Tom shanked in his prison cell. She led him to believe it was Rowan to get the truth. Jake is brought into a secure room where Olivia and Fitz are waiting for him. The only thing the three of them have to say to each other is a simple “hi.”

#46 That’s Captain Ballard to You: Jake is an innocent man. Olivia and Fitz want to take down Rowan. Jake only wants blood. He insists that the president address him as Captain Ballard. Only his friends call him Jake.

#47 Give Us a Little Kiss: Fitz spares Jake’s life. It’s his gift to the woman they both love. Fitz continues to search for ways to take advantage of his newfound hope with Olivia whenever the two of them are alone.

#48 Standing in the Sun: Olivia convinces Jake that killing Rowan is not an option. Such vengeance is for those who sit in the darkness. They stand in the sun. Olivia makes it clear that “only” they stand in the sun.

#49 Exploding with Passion: BOOM! The car Andrew Nichols was headed toward is blown up in a terrorist act. The veep assures a worried Mellie that he’s okay after the bombing. If his injuries were more severe, he wouldn’t be able to straddle the First Lady like he does.

#51 It’s All Over: Rowan gives an impassioned speech about how he wasn’t the greatest father during their dinner date. Everything he’s ever done is because of her. He lets Olivia know that whatever they had is now over. He’s on to her.

#52 Can’t Un-See That: Huck realizes Elizabeth is sleeping with the vice president. SMASH! The window inside the surveillance van is obliterated. It’s Dan Kubiak. Huck is able to get the upper hand. He musters enough strength to kill Kubiak. Huck is horrified when he realizes that Javi saw the whole thing.

#53 Just Follow the Script: Olivia briefs the Oval Office on everything Cyrus. No one notices Mellie’s double-take when she hears about Andrew and Elizabeth’s affair. Cyrus refuses to go along with the plan to marry a prostitute. Instead, he goes another route.

#54 Letting Out a Big Cy: Olivia gives Cyrus a tough love pep talk to get him back on his game. She doesn’t recognize the shell of a man standing before her. She wants him to show everyone that he’s not a little bitch baby.

#55 Not a Gentle Woman: Elizabeth is furious when she learns that troops aren’t headed into West Angola. She tries to lecture Mellie, who reveals that she knows about her relationship with Andrew. Better watch your back, Lizzie Bear.

#56 Dinner and Dancing: Olivia asks Jake to stop talking about her father. She’d rather enjoy some wine, some Gettysburgers and a pizza from a place that names their pies after former first ladies. She brought home a Dolley Madison. Sounds cheesy! Olivia and Jake dance to a tune from a sentimental record her dad left behind. They both get down to Stevie Wonder.

#57 Missing Person: Olivia has never had sex on a piano. Jake retreats to the bedroom to get some blankets. When he returns, Olivia is gone. A spilt glass of wine stains the sofa. Back in the White House, Andrew continues his discussion with Fitz. He asks about the one thing in the world he can’t live without.